The Beker

OMG I met her!

And she was nice and friendly!

LOVE that

I was a volunteer with one of the shows for LG fashion week and it just so happened that Jeanne Beker was on my list to hand a seating card to so I did, and I embarrassingly enough asked her for a picture! The quality of the photo isn't the greatest but you get the picture... no pun intended :)

XO

it's all in the family

People often ask me why I am so ridiculously good looking, I think this picture of my grandmother above explains it all! She's a hottie, and that sorta thing gets passed down. This picture is from the '50s in South Beach Florida. A place me and the boy liked to frequent last year. ahhh Ocean Dr.

Anyways, I owe them. The family that is. Everyone does but I feel that I owe mine for so many different reasons and in a seemingly larger way. They have surely made me who I am today and I am very thankful for it. Since I often speak of fashion and personal style, that is one thing I can credit to a lady who, in the picture below, is my Aunt and personal source of fashion inspiration.

This picture is from quite a while ago now but I had been meaning to write about it for a while. Sitting in class today, in desperate need of some inspiration, I turned to my agenda and there was the photo of my grandmother. It then occurred to me what was going on and why I wasn't feeling the vibe to write. I was looking for things to write about whether it be a new item in my closet or a coveted pair of shoes I so dearly wanted but nothing was coming to me. So for once in a long while, I looked inward and found a little inspiration from my fam.

As I mentioned before I am thankful for everyone in my family who has helped shaped who I am today yet I do want to credit my Aunt for my the style I have today. If it wasn't for her keen eye and great sense of class and elegance I really don't know where I would be or what I would be dressed like. Her daughter was the one I mentioned in an earlier post who gave me all those great hand-me-down items that really peeked my interest in clothing at such an early age. She has, without knowing it, shaped how I wear things today.

For any sort of special event, be it a wedding or just a really rad party, I knew I could rely on her for knowing what was up to date on the runways and she could steer me in the right direction. I even went as far as consulting her through e-mail and having her take a look at the photos of my outfits before I went ahead with it. I always knew she would be honest and it always surprised me when she congratulated me on finding something inexpensive yet chic. Those items were almost always from Winners. A large personal fav.

She knows that I owe her for more than just her style inspiration but I just wanted to thank her and I thought that this would be a nicer way than a simple plain old e-mail.

To my lovely Aunt with all your style and grace, THANK YOU.

XO

Back to Basics

Inspired by a recent post by the lovely miss Garance Dore who lists her top 10 basics...I felt compelled to join in on the fun. Sitting in bed SO SORE from cloud 9,000, I am staring at my closet haha okay rolling rack, and can easily find what my go to pieces are. I can easily point them out, always on top of the pile and within arms reach.

So here goes:

1. White shirt. Okay I realize this is the same first point that she had written but I SWEAR I was thinking the exact same thing when I read her first line. It's not always a collared or dress shirt but just a white shirt of sorts. I tend to buy a number of "similar" looking ones. I have come to realization of this when I ask my boyfriend, "do you like this?" and he replies "I'm pretty sure that you have that exact one in your closet". I know I don't have the EXACT same one but I do know where he is coming from. BUT in my defense I HATE DIRTY WHITE shirts so I tend to go through them. And he just can't distinguish between the fine details that make the shirts so different.

2. Black leggings. There is a smile on my face while I write this one as I know there is a certain someone in my class that gets pretty hot and bothered by the fact that some people, AHEM...ME, wear these as pants however this is my list and not hers. They are crucial and I am considering putting them at number one.

3. Gray cardigan. pockets in the front are necessary. just bought a new one...can't wait to wear it come monday.

4. Skinny leather belt. I really feel the color is up to you, personally I have a camel colored guy and I wear it with almost everything. It was one of those buys that you didn't really know why you had to have it but you bought it anyways? Yeah, one of those and I'm glad I did.

5. Silk blouse. nude or baby pink. Either will do. I just love that it goes with everything and offers a bit of femininity with any outfit.

6. Different length layered chains. I am currently still infatuated with my goldmember, and a shorter chain that has an angel and was given to me by a very special lady, Grams.

7. Black patent heels. I have these pair from Michael Kors from almost 3 seasons ago but I can wear them through any season and still love them.

8. Across the shoulder purse. Big or small its so nice to be hands and care free!

9. Large faced watch. BOOM ROASTED. haha (office anyone? I know this is not an appropriate use of it but I just can't help myself)

10. Pearl earrings. God love em. Real or fake really who cares? Any size, you simply can't go wrong.

One of Garance's points was freshly painted nails. New goal of mine! She brings up a good point however:"We’ve walked on the moon, can we really not invent a nail-polish that dries in less than five minutes?"

What are you fav basics? Lets see some lists shall we???

XO

On Cloud 9,000

Forget cloud nine, this is WAY beyond better than that! I just had one of the BEST Friday nights in a long time and its 11:58pm. For some that would be the beginning but for me I'm winding down from a wicked trip.

I just came back from the coolest, most awesome yoga class ever. It was at 889 Yonge, which is so far my fav studio in Toronto. It was with one of most fav people and it was with this teacher that I just knew I had to meet! His name is Eoin Finn.

check us out! This is us "surfing" haha

My first remembrance of him was when I first started working for lulu and learned that he was one of their first ambassadors. My second encounter with him in my memory was when I bought his Yoga for Happiness DVD. I had purchased it so I could try and force my boyfriend to do yoga with me. The DVD's were harder than I thought but I could just tell that he was a cool guy and knew I wanted to meet him!

When I first heard that he was coming to Toronto I was like WHOA! I have to be there so I asked my adventurous and fun friend if she would tag alone and she did!

The class was so great, its actually hard for me to describe why. I think its because first and foremost he is just a really cool and chill guy, I mean , he showed a you tube video of kids in the 70's skateboarding to start the class off! I love what he spoke about. He spoke a lot about balance and fun and those are two core values in my life so I think thats why I found the whole experience amazing. He mentioned that a lot of Yoga class make you feel good but we are all so serious and it doesn't look so fun! I have never really thought of this before but in retrospect it's so true how people will be standing in tree pose without a smile on their face. In this class, I was smiling the whole time.

I knew it wasn't going to be a normal class once we all had our nice mats all nicely laid out and he then proceeded to ask us to put them away. He told us a story about how a Native explained that the worst thing that white people ever did to them was put them in a rectangle box. He was referring to how sometimes we are so used to doing things a certain way that we never really think outside the box and with yoga we never usually practice off the mat, so we got rid of them!

"You don't need a mat to do yoga! lululemon is great and all but you don't need clothes either! You can practice naked if you want, it's so pure man!"

He then proceeded to tell us that he never liked to do laundry and would practice naked all the time. Haha oh the laughs... He played tunes while we practiced which I also love and lets be honest, anyone who can enjoy a good Sublime song, which happened to be on his playlist, can be my friend :) We did everything from Warrior pose to jump around the room like frogs... seriously.. we did. There were so many great teachings he had and I wish I had a pen at hand or I would have written them down. I think everyone should try a class of his... or at least his DVD's. I know you will be glad you did and you could be on cloud 9,000 too!

"love: the ultimate renewable resource" - eoin finn

XO

More like hottie marathon

yipeeee!

Running my third half marathon this year leaves me feeling sore and a little proud today :) I was nervous about my time, I hadn't trained as hard as I would have liked but I did it. My personal best 2:07.

It was a wicked day for running, sunny and warm with a cool breeze to ensure you don't over heat. The Chilly Half Marathon (more like hottie marathon with this weather) was my best to date and I really loved it. It was nice to run in a different place than where you train, scenery is different and takes your mind off the thought of dying or how tired your legs are. I was feeling GREAT up until 16 km... so close right? I got a little cocky in the first half and may have burned more fuel than planned.

It was a toughie for dressing though. When I woke up it didn't look all that sunny so I opted for long running tights and a short sleeve swiftly tech with a long sleeve pull over. All from lululemon of course! Some people were out there in shorts and a tank top, it was that hot!

What's best about this marathon is that I completed with a long time friend of mine Jane. We had talked about doing one together for a while and then one Christmas party and a couple of rum and eggnogs later we were signed up and holding each other accountable!

So I look a little squinty eye but I am not one to EVER complain about the sun!

I didn't reach my goal time but I will save it for the next one. My plan is to do another one in May and that will have meant that I completed 4 half marathons in a year. K I feel the need for a little disclaimer here: I am not athletic. Well I never thought myself to be, and would have never thought that I could have run ONE half marathon let along FOUR so it's pretty cool reaching those goals... awww gosh now i'm all sappy...

anyways I think I can reward myself with perhaps some new shoes?! haha next paycheck perhaps.

When In Doubt...

1) Buy new shoes

2) Paint your nails

3) Go for a run

Sure-fire way to get through the day! These days at school, I can totally feel the competitiveness and pressure for internships and am not the biggest fan. I needed to chill out, get back to my Kelly roots and this three step process is one of my favorite ways to do so!

1) A girlfriend of mine first spotted these shoes. At first I was like no, those are way to Road to Avonlea (one of my ALL time favorite shows, no joke) for me; but at a second glance I was like "no those are cool!". The wedge is great because you get the height but I feel they are more steady to walk in. ALSO I caught them in a cheeky magazine... wish I still had the mag but don't you love it when find something featured in a magazine and you already OWN it? I sure do... in fact my dialogue is as follows: AHA! GOTCHA!!!!

2) Painting your nails...there is just something therapeutic about it! The stroke of the brush leaving that first line of color on your naked nail... it's like morphing into another person! A more classy, sophisticated you. Current nail color: OPI's Bastille My Heart, given to me for my birthday from my wonderful friend.

3) Going for a run, nothing quite like it. Sometimes you don't want to do it... kinda like tonight BUT I am running that Chilly half marathon on Sunday so it's probably a good idea. There's this feeling after a wicked run unlike any other. Tonight's going to be a nice 10 km...

Anyways I hope some of you try this at home/shopping remedy!

XO